Comparative evaluation of the compressive strength of treated drill cutting blocks and sandcrete blocks

Abstract

Management of drill cuttings is a major environmental concern in the oil drilling operations. This study evaluates the compressive strength of treated drill cuttings block when compared with the sandcrete block for use in the construction industry. 100mmx 100mm sandcrete and cutting block were moulded using Portland cement as a binding agent in the mix ratio of 1; 6. The blocks were cured for 7 and 14 days. The compressive strength of both the cutting and sandcrete block were tested after 7 and 14 days. The study found the cuttings block exhibited significantly higher load-bearing capacity compared to the sandcrete blocks. The failure loads for cuttings blocks were approximately double those of the sandcrete blocks. Specifically, after 7 days of curing, cuttings blocks A1 and A2 withstood loads of 20 KN and 21 KN, respectively, whereas sandcrete blocks A1 and A2 only withstood 10 KN and 11 KN, respectively. Similarly, compressive strength of 3.1 N/mm², 3.2 N/mm² and 2.0 N/mm, 2.1 N/mm was achieved by cuttings blocks and sandcrete blocks respectively after 14 days of curing. The findings of this study suggest that cuttings blocks are a robust alternative to traditional Sandcrete blocks, particularly for construction applications where higher strength is desired. The increased compressive strength and weight gain over time, along with the blocks' ability to meet and exceed the minimum strength requirements, highlight their suitability for various building construction needs.